The Binding Blade
by Lunastar of moonclan
Summary: Salem and company must resurrect Salem's father after a clash with a nearby city. Collecting the three elemental crystals, the journey gets complicated, as one of the party members dies, and Salem must choose who to resurrect: his father, or his friend, for the spell only works once.
1. Inspirations

_The Binding Blade_

 **Warning:** This story contains some gorey content. Enter at your own risk, and also, enjoy!

 **Title inspired by:** Fire Emblem: The Binding Blade(No story relation, Japan only game)

 **Story inspired by:** Xenoblade Chronicles, Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, Final Fantasy I, and various D&D elements.

 **Character classes inspired by:** Fire Emblem Fates classes

 **Poem of Life loosely inspired by:** "Flower Gleam and Glow" from Tangled


	2. Character Bios

Character Bios

Salem(Say-lum):

Age: 16

Gender: Male

Height: 5'9"

Hair: Orange, always points left

Eye color: Emerald green

Build: Average

Clothes: Blue tunic, black boots, tan pants, a chain shirt under the tunic, brown fingerless gloves, brown belt around waist

Personality: Clumsy/smart/emotional/quirky

Weapon: Double-edged sword

Other info: Main character. Rowan's cousin, likes to get things done and stay on track, rank 8 Swordmaster(Eight years of knowing swordplay)

Inspired by: Eliwood from Fire Emblem: The Blazing Sword, also inspired by me(Author-Chan), call me LiqidSilvr, or Sil for short, or Silver-Chan

Searen(Seer-in):

Age: 17

Gender: Male

Height: 5'11"

Hair: Dark brown, very spiky

Eye color: Grey-blue

Build: Burly

Clothes: Tan tunic & pants, brown boots, full body armor w/o headpiece, black fingerless gloves

Personality: Quirky/nice/class clown/friendly

Weapon: Lance

Other info: Rouse's brother, Salem's best friend, not a morning person, heavy sleeper, rank 7 Paladin

Inspired by: Reyn from Xenoblade Chronicles

Rowan(Row-in):

Age: 17

Gender: Female

Height: 5'8"

Hair: Black, usually in twin ponytails

Eye color: Ice blue

Build: Above average/strong

Clothes: Brown shirt, brown pants, black hunting boots, green jacket, light red armored chest piece under jacket, brown fingerless gloves

Personality: Tsundere/hot-head

Weapon: War axe

Other info: Salem's cousin, rank 7 Warrior

Inspired by: Severa from Fire Emblem Awakening & Selena from Fire Emblem Fates

Rouse(Roos):

Age: 16

Gender: Female

Height: 5'6"

Hair: Chestnut and long

Eye color: Light green

Build: Frail/skinny

Clothes: Pink shirt, black unbuttoned coat, black boots, tan pants

Personality: Shy/animal-lover/soft-spoken/kind

Weapon: Dual crossbows, later, a bow

Other info: Searen's sister, Salem's crush, will always help a friend in need if she can, rank 7 Sniper

Inspired by: Linkle from Hyrule Warriors Legends

Yunae(Yoo-nay):

Age: 17

Gender: Female

Height: 5'8"

Hair: Silver and short

Eye color: Gold

Build: Average

Clothes: Long, white robe with light blue accents, and tan high heeled sandals

Personality: Scaredy-cat/cautious/caring

Weapon: None, heals with a staff, and summons monsters to fight

Other info: Wisteria royal's cleric, has never left the castle for as long as she can remember, has a fear of weapons, rank 6 Cleric, joins later

Inspired by: Yuna from Final Fantasy X

Auros(Or-es):

Age:17

Gender: Male

Height: 6'4"

Hair: Navy blue, clean and neatly put into place

Eye color: Reddish-brown

Build: Lithe/bean-pole

Clothes: Black robe over a black long-sleeved tunic, black fedora with a fluffy blue feather, black pants, knee-high black boots, blue belt around waist

Personality: Insane/arrogant/careless

Weapon: Invincible spellbook with countless different magic spells. Uses daggers seldomly

Other info: From Trese, grew up in the slums, rank 10 Sorcerer. Can read minds. Owns an enchanted satchel that has infinite daggers and can have anything be put into it. Joins later

Inspired by: Auron from Final Fantasy X, Niles from Fire Emblem Fates and Riley from Pokemon: The Aura Guardian


	3. AN

Chapter 8

"Salem…" Rouse whispered as tears began to roll down her face. Everyone began to tear up as well.

Wake up, my son… you must live… His sword blinked beside him.

Get up Salem, you're my living legacy. The sword flashed white instead of blue quickly. Salem coughed loudly and sat up.

"Dude! Don't scare me like that!" Searen picked him up and squeezed him so hard Salem began to turn blue.

"C-Can't breathe! Put me down!" Salem flailed around kicking at the air.

"Right, sorry." Searen set Salem down on his feet and blushed embarrassed that he showed how much of a softie he can be.

"Where am I? Am I dead?" Salem pinched himself.

"Didn't that hurt you?" Yunae looked at him confused.

"N-no, actually it didn't." He pinched himself again. "What's happening?"

Do not worry my boy, I have given you an invincible spell, now nothing can hurt you, but it only works during the day, so be mindful. The sword responded.

"So you did this? Why? How-"

Shhh… Let me explain, you did indeed die when the leader troll hit you, but when I died and turned into a spirit in your sword, I gained the ability to grant any kind of spell I wanted on you and only you. So I cast an invincible spell on you which also revived you, it's permanent for the rest of your journey. Salem explained to the group about this spell, and told Auros why his sword was blinking.

"Let's keep going, we need to find that fire crystal." Searen broke the silence.

"Yeah let's go." Rowan turned around and walked toward the charred trees of the Forest of Flames, everyone following behind her.


	4. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Mist clouded around the village of Wisteria as Salem's father strode silently to the stable with his spear. Hearing a crashing noise as the stable door opened Salem awoke. He got up and crept to the window. Seeing his father with a white horse, he tiptoed down the stairs and walked outside, up to his dad.

"Where are you going?" Salem whispered tugging on his sleeve.

"There's no easy way to say this, son…" His dad sighed. "I'm going off to war, I don't know when I'll be back, but take this to remember me by." He handed Salem a sword, sharpened to look brand new with a red and black hilt and cushion grip with his dad's name, Octavius engraved on it. "Use this if you get into trouble, while I'm gone, stay with your friends, they know what's happening and their parents agreed to take care of you."

"But… but daddy-"

"I'm sorry Salem," His father said solemnly. "but I must do this, he hopped on the horse and strode off into the sunrise. "Be strong my son, be strong…" the fog swallowed him in seconds.

"Salem… SALEM, breakfast!" Searen shouted.

"Ugh… no thanks." He complained. So, it was all just a dream. Will I ever see my father again? Tears began to well up in his green eyes. No! I must be strong, father would want me to be. Slowly, Salem got out of bed.

"Ugh, my stomach hurts… I hope I'm not sick, I have a feeling something's going to happen today… Something... bad." he whispered to himself. Changed into his blue tunic, tan pants and high black boots. As he continued down the hall, he tripped on the rug and fell head over heels down the stairs. Faceplanting, he looked up at his friends and forced a smile.

"Are you okay?" Searen grabbed his hand and helped Salem up.

"I think so, but now my hair's a mess! Hey, your wearing your new full-body armor I see, it looks very sharp over your tan tunic and low brown boots." he replied.

"Very funny Salem, now could you get us some well water? And thanks." Searen asked.

"I guess so, I've got nothing better to do, hey, where's your sister?" Salem scanned the room and peered out the window.

"Oh, Rouse? She went to get some herbs from the field for lunch today."

"Alone? But she could get killed!" Salem stuttered.

"Don't worry buddy, She has her crossbows, she can take care of herself. Now stop worrying about your girlfriend and get that water, and while you're at it, can you go to the market and get us some lunch?" Searen teased.

"She's not my girlfriend!" Salem reddened. "I-I'm going to get the stuff now." he avoided Searen and walked into the kitchen.

"Hey, where are you going?" Rowan, one of his friends from childhood growled at him, her black ponytails whipped the back of her head as she turned.

"Outside to get some well water, we're out right?" he retorted.

"Oh, yeah…" She glared at him with cold ice blue eyes. Rowan got up to go change into her brown shirt with a green jacket and matching brown pants.

Salem walked calmly over to the bucket. Geez, what's her deal? I realize her parents are in the war too, but so is everyone else's' that lives in this house! Except for my mom, she died while I was born, It's all my fault. Salem almost tripped over Rowan's black hunting shoes as he went over to the bucket.

He snatched up the bucket walked out the door and started towards the fountain. Hmm, If I can bucket some water from here, I might get some pocket money as well… He stared at the shiny coins and fished some out. Eight gold for me, plus the ten I already have. that should be enough for lunch at least. He emptied the bucket of old water and took it to the well.

He approached the well at looked at his reflection. Ugh, my hair is amok this morning. he fixed the part in his hair and made sure each delicate orange hair was pointing to the left. At least I have some money today, I hate stealing from the market, but sometimes you just have to to make a living. Oh no, it's that man, the man who looks just like my father did with the brownish red hair and grey eyes, even his horse looks like father's. Just stay calm you see him everyday. He chided to himself. Salem crept off to the market and entered.

"Hey Salem, are you actually going to buy something instead of stealing it?" The clerk sneered.

"Of course, just some bread and maybe a few apples." he laid his gold on the desk and let the clerk count it.

"Hmm, you have enough for two loaves of bread and three apples." he remarked. "With four gold left over." He grabbed the bread and apples and gave them to Salem taking the gold.

"Thank you, sir." Salem picked up the stuff and started walking toward his house. trying to pick up the bucket, he slipped in a puddle that was under him. "Ouch…" he complained, trying to get up. "Great, now my butt's all wet." he whispered while trying to pull his tunic over the wet spot. A little later, he gathered the bucket and filled it with water. Entering the house, Rouse ran up to him and took the bags, her chestnut-colored hair waved like the wind. She was wearing her pink shirt and black unbuttoned coat and matching black boots with tan pants.

"Wonderful." she beamed her green eyes were sparkling like crystals. "This is enough for us to have lunch and dinner!"

"Oh, h-hey Rouse, it was nothing…" Salem turned as red as a beet.

"Do you have any gold left over?" asked Searen, His very dark brown hair spiked out in all directions. As Salem looked into Searen's grey eyes he could see that he knew about his crush.

"Yeah, actually I do, I bought that stuff with gold I stole from the fountain." He tossed one glittering coin to each of his friends. Man, Searen needs a haircut, I guess he's going for the edgy tough guy look, but I'm not going to judge my best friend. Why is he butting into my business? This is my personal life! I mean I know he's my best friend, but still, he needs to lay off so I don't get caught.

"Dude, why's your butt wet?" Rowan chuckled while pointing at Salem.

"I sort of slipped and fell in a puddle." Salem said in a roundabout way.

"Why don't you change your pants?' Rouse suggested.

"Yeah I'll go do that." he replied while running upstairs. After changing his pants, Salem walked back downstairs. He observed his friends, who were having lunch.

"Hey Salem, grab a chair." Searen pulled a seat out from under the table.

"Thanks." He sat down in the chair and enjoyed his lunch.

The group was relaxing as Salem heard an alarming noise. Oh no, I thought something bad was going to happen. my instincts were right. He clenched his stomach.

"What's wrong? you got ants in your pants?" Searen asked sarcastically.

"No, listen." The friends fell silent.

War horns began to sound. Salem froze dead silent as cavalry and mercenaries began to storm Wisteria. "Everyone, grab your weapons, even if they're our allies, we need to be ready just in case."

The group nodded to Salem in unison. Searen snatched up his lance, Rouse picked up her dual crossbows and bolts, Rowan got her war axe, and Salem grabbed his sword. This sword binds my father and I together, I will make him proud. The group migrated to the door like caribou. The fog danced on the ground as the group ran past the ominous clouds. A strange figure clad in a black cloak that covered his face rode past Salem on a white horse of which looked extremely familiar.

"Father?"


	5. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The figure turned on his horse and revealed his face.

"Salem?"

"Father! It's you! who are you fighting for?" Salem asked anxiously.

"Son, I'm fighting for Wisteria." He answered swiftly while incapacitating an enemy.

"Who are we fighting against?" He continued.

"Trese, they're the ones in black, I had to disguise myself so I didn't get killed." He threw of the robe revealing that he was an enemy to Trese.

"Traitor!" one of the Tresian soldiers bellowed.

"Get him!" yelled another.

A circle of soldiers appeared around Salem and company in seconds.

"These are the last ones of this town." a burly foot soldier with a devilish smile walked closer to Salem's father with a lance.

"Ah, if it isn't the mighty Octavius, you guys can kill this one." he sneered. "But leave the children to me."


	6. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Octavius enchanted the children with protection spells. "Go! Run! Get out of here! Leave these dirtbags to me." Salem's eyes filled with worry. "Don't worry, I'll always be with you." he gestured to Salem's sword.

Salem nodded to his friends. "This way." he whispered. The group ran off towards the Forest of Flames. Salem turned back to look at his father fighting off the Tresians like mad. Then he saw the unthinkable, the burly soldier with a lance threw it square into Octavius's head. He fell slowly off the dying horse onto the ground below. "NO!" He screamed. "You'll pay with your life!" He ran at the soldier who killed his father and sliced his head clean of in a flurry of strikes. Panting, he sunk to his knees next to the body of his father. "Father… I felt like I barely knew you… And now you're gone." Tears welled up in his eyes as his friends came to comfort him.

"Salem-"

"Just leave me be! All of you, I need some time alone." he croaked. His friends nodded and walked away a distance. A blue spirit emerged from the corpse and dove into Salem's sword. The corpse then disappeared.

I told you I'd always be with you. a voice spoke.

"Who said that?" he scanned his surroundings. looking at his friends, they shrugged. "Oh great, now I'm hearing voices." Salem choked out.

You're not hearing voices, my spirit now lies in your sword. the sword spoke.

"Father? you're in my sword?" Salem asked inquisitively.

Yes, I shall accompany you on your journey. the sword continued.

"Salem, who are you talking to?" Rowan interrupted.

"My father's spirit is in my sword." he replied.

"How come we can't hear him?" Searen added.

"I don't know, do you see my sword glowing?"

"Well, yeah, but we don't hear the voices.'" Searen answered.

Salem frowned and looked back at his weapon. "So, you said something about a quest?" He asked the sword.

Yes, if you wish to revive me, you must gather three crystals: the crystal of fire, the crystal of water, and the crystal of air, and then you must take my spirit along with the crystals to the altar past High Peak Mountains. Place the crystals in their respective slots, put my spirit, in my case, your sword in the center of the platform. Next, you must have a spellcaster read the Poem of Life. Then wait about ten seconds and I shall be revived.

"Wait, since you said 'in my case', can I use this on anyone?" Salem questioned.

Correct, but the spell only works once every twenty or so years, so you must use it wisely, and be quick, before someone else uses it. I see more death in your future, and you may have to chose between reviving me, or one of your comrades.

"Which one?"

I cannot say, I'm only a spirit not a fortune teller. the spirit joked.

Salem fumbled the sword, cut himself and dropped it on the ground.

"Ow!" Salem yelped while gripping his hand the stop the bleeding. his friends all giggled and whispered something inaudible to themselves.

Be careful! you could've killed me! the sword hissed.

"No I can't kill you, you're already dead! And don't you care that I cut myself?" He screeched.

Oh yeah, sorry son, are you ok? the sword replied calmly.

"I think so, but I need a medic so it doesn't get infected." He began. "Anyone here seen a -"

"Did someone say they need a medic?" called a voice from the darkness.

"Oh great, more voices. I'm going nuts. Yup, pretty soon I'll think I can fly." Salem mused. "Who said that? Show yourself!" He continued.

A girl about age seventeen dressed in white robes with short silver hair and golden eyes jumped of a tree branch and landed behind Searen.


	7. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

"Gah! Witchcraft!" he shrieked while trying to stab her.

Before he could she dodged by jumping gracefully and landed next to Salem.

"Hey, what's the big idea? I'm just trying to help…" she said while readying her scepter.

"Is this going to hurt miss?" Salem worried.

"Oh no no no, this will only help you, now let me see it," she reached for his bloody hand. "It doesn't look that bad, now let me heal you, heal spell!" she enchanted. "Oh by the way, my name is Yunae, rank six cleric, I also dabble in summoning."

"I'm Salem, rank eight swordmaster, I wield a sword."

"Searen, rank seven paladin, but I seem to have gotten my horse stolen," He laughed. "But I don't need 'em anyway, he only slowed me down."

"The name's Rowan, rank seven warrior, I wield axes."

"And I'm Rouse, I'm a rank seven sniper, but instead of bows, I wield dual crossbows."

"Nice to meet you all, what brings you here? It's quite dangerous, I'm one of Wisteria's clerics, but it seems that you guys are the only one's who survived the ambush." Yunae reported.

"Oh, we heard about the attack and decided to help out, but then Salem's father died." Rouse answered. "But wait, if you're one of our clerics, then why have we never seen you?"

"I usually only work for the royals, but they seem to have disappeared." Yunae answered. "I think they got kidnapped, but I don't know where or how or by who, I didn't like them anyway." She scanned her surroundings. "It also seems like I'm the only cleric who wasn't killed or kidnapped."

"Now I guess we're going on a quest to Salem's dad back to life." Rowan added with a bitter look on her face.

"Where is he? I don't see any bodies that weren't dragged off to be buried. Trese may be brutal, but they want Wisteria for themselves, and they obviously want it cleaned up."

"His spirit lives in my sword, the catch is only I can hear 'em. But you guys will see my sword glowing when he's talking to me." Salem pointed to his sword.

"Oh, that reminds me, we need a cleric, Yunae, would you like to join us on our journey?" He asked politely.

"Sounds great, I don't do much fighting, but I can summon beasts to do it for me, I can also heal anyone who's injured." Yunae looked around confused. "So, where are we headed first? Since it appears Wisteria has lost, we should get out of here as fast as we can before we're dragged off or killed."

"My best guess would be to retrieve the crystal of fire in the Forest of Flames."

"Why do they call it that?" Searen scratched his head.

"The forest was invaded by fire trolls, you idiot, that's only history 101 for Wisteria." Rowan growled.

"Well sorrry! Excuse me for not paying attention that day!" Searen shouted.

"Since when did you ever pay attention in any class?" She taunted.

"Guys, stop fighting, we should get going as soon as possible, the trolls start roaming around at night. If we leave now we can get the drop on them." Salem stated.

"Salem's right." Rouse defended while Salem blushed. "Let's go, Salem should lead the way."

Everyone nodded as Salem turned around. Walking a couple feet, he then tripped over a tree root and fell on his face.

"I'm ok, I'm ok," he looked at his friends, got back up, and continued to walk. Everyone looked at each other giggled a little and continued walking.

"Wow, for a smart guy, he's pretty clumsy," Yunae whispered to Searen.

"Yup, that's Salem, for ya." he chuckled.


	8. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

The decimated city of Wisteria began to disappear as the five began to walk through a thick forest with a slough running through it. The Forest of Flames was getting closer, only a few more hours until they got there.

"It's getting late, we should probably spend the night in this clearing. can someone start a fire?" Salem began to pile branches into a tent shape.

"I got ya," Searen pointed at Salem and pulled out a flint and steel. Striking them, a spark appeared and set the logs alight. "Who's gonna take watch?" Searen looked at the group.

"I got this," Salem stated to his companions. "Rowan, want to take watch with me cous?"

"I guess so, not tired anyway." Rowan got up and walked to the edge of the clearing.

"So is Rowan Salem's cousin?" Yunae looked at the two of them.

"Yeah, but you couldn't tell by just looking at them." Searen told her.

"No kidding..." She said quizzically.

"You get that side, I got this one." Salem ran off to the right with his sword. Rowan walked to the left side and leaned of a nearby tree, setting her axe down next to her. The rest of the group made a makeshift tent out of branches and tree leaves weaved together with grass.

"Alright, it's done, I've weaved the last grass strand to the branches." Rouse stretched, taking off her crossbow holders on her legs and crawled into the tent. "G'night everyone," She yawned. Yunae crawled into the tent big enough for the five of them. Searen followed soon after, taking the spear carrier off of his back and then entering the tent.

Salem looked at his sword. "Father, is there a time limit in which I can and cannot revive you?"

Not exactly, you have no time restraints right now, but when it comes to reciting the Poem of Life, you must do that when the sun sets.

"Well that's good, I miss you dad."

I miss you too… The voice said blandly.

"What's wrong?" he asked the sword.

Like I said, there might be a time where you must chose reviving me, or one of your companions, I must go for a bit so I can rest. The sword stopped glowing a brilliant blue and reverted back to the silver color it was. Salem sat down on a rock and grabbed a pebble to sharpen his sword. After a few minutes, a shadow ran into and quickly out of his view. Salem dropped the pebble, got up and pointed his sword in front of him and slowly turned. "Show yourself, I'm not afraid to fight you! I've had eight years of training with this thing!" A chuckling came from the darkness.

"You have many things to fear in this forest boy…" A voice said from the void.

"Who... are you?" He queered.

The voice chuckled again. "Wouldn't you like to know?" It teased. A dark shape came and knocked the sword out of Salem's hand.

"Look, I don't want any trouble, unless you want trouble." Salem cleared his throat politely.

"Oh, I don't mean trouble…" The shape walked out from the darkness revealing a very tall navy blue haired man with a black robe over a black, long-sleeved tunic, and a black fedora with a fluffy blue feather. "The name's Auros, I'm a wanderer." The man thrust his hand in front of Salem.

"Nice...to… m-meet you… I'm… Salem..." He stuttered shaking Auros's hand. "Hey, how old are you?"

"Excuse me?" Auros said disgustedly.

"Oh sorry, it's just you look like you're in your twenties-"

"For your information, I'm seventeen." He growled turning his back.

Same age as Rowan… Salem remarked in his thoughts.

"What brings you here boy?" He turned and bent over to look Salem in the eyes.

"You don't need to get that close, and we're heading for the Forest of Flames." He answered. "And I'm not that much younger than you."

Auros stood back up and looked around. "'We're?' but there's no one else around here."

"Oh they're sleeping, you can meet them in the morning..-Hey, how about you come with us?" Salem asked.

"Sounds like fun, do you have a spellcaster in your group?" Auros said while reaching into his robe to grab his spellbook.

"No in fact we don't, what rank are you? My friends will be happy we have a spellcaster! Oh, I can't wait to tell them-"

"Whoa whoa, calm down boy." Auros chided. "Oh, and I'm rank a rank ten Sorcerer."

"Wow, that's the max level! You've been training for 10 years!" Salem's voice cracked.

"Ouch… What are you doing now, guard duty?" Auros picked up Salem's sword and returned it to him.

Salem giggled. "You said 'duty.'" He took the sword and put it in the sheath on his back. "But yes, I am, you can just guard with me until morning."

Auros rolled his eyes at the corny joke and sat on the large stone next to Salem


	9. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

The sun began to rise as Salem jerked awake from a nap. "C'mon, Auros, I need to introduce you to my friends." He pushed Auros so he'd wake up. Drooling, Auros got up and wiped his face clean on his arm. He followed Salem to the middle of the clearing where they set up camp. Salem climbed into the tent and woke the others up as Rowan came back from her outpost. "Hey guys! wake up!" He yelled. Searen stood up only to bump his head on the top frame of the tent and fall over again.

"Ow… what's the deal man? I was having a dream about pink fluffy unicorns and rainbows." he complained.

"Well, then I'm glad I woke you…" Salem chuckled. "Come on out, I need to introduce you guys to someone." He continued as Rouse, Yunae and Searen all got out of the tent all moaning. "Guys, this is Auros, Auros this is Yunae, Searen Rouse and Rowan." He pointed to all of his friends.

"Hey guys, I'm a rank ten Sorcerer. This is my spellbook. I also have an enchanted satchel that gives me infinite daggers to throw." He replied.

"Your weapon is a book?" Rowan chuckled. "What're you going to do? Bore the enemy to death?" Auros glared at her, flipped his pages silently, and did a cryptic hand movement.

"!?" Rowan tried to speak, mouthing "What did you do to me!?"

"Haha, I muted you." He laughed. "Now you won't be able to speak for five minutes."

"Wow, I just realized how tall Auros is. How old is he?" Searen looked at Auros then Salem.

"Seventeen, surprising right?" Salem looked at Searen who nodded.

"Please… Stop…" Auros tried to hide his face in his robe.

"Alright then, let's head off if we leave now we should make it before sundown, who needs food? I can create some for you guys." Yunae stated. Everyone raised their hands and Yunae synthesized some bread for everyone.

"Thanks." Auros shoved the whole slice in his mouth "I'm starving!"

"Yeah, thanks." Rouse began to chew slowly as everyone followed Salem toward the Forest of Flames.


	10. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

"How much farther?" Searen complained. "I think I twisted my ankle on that rock back there."

"Not much, just over that hill and-"

"Look out!" Rowan pushed everyone onto the ground.

"What? What happened?" Yunae looked confusedly around the field.

"Fire trolls, they shoot fire arrows and use flaming swords to attack." She pointed at the hairy humanoid creatures as they spoke gibberish to each other.

"I got this." Rouse pointed her crossbows at them and prepared to fire.

"No!" She hit Rouse's shoulder lightly. "They attack in groups of up to twenty, we must be careful."

"How about an invisible spell?" Auros added. "I'm still working on it, but I can create an invisible wall so we can see them but they can't see us."

"Perfect, then let's attack them from behind right?" Searen asked as if waiting for an insult from Rowan.

"Yeah! just what I was thinking." Rowan cleared her throat. "But don't get used to me complimenting you, cause it ain't gonna happen much." she corrected herself.

"Alrighty then, ready Auros?" Salem asked as Auros pulled out his spellbook.

"Good to go, illusion wall!" He yelled as a wall of invisibility appeared in front of the group. They snuck behind the trolls and readied their weapons.

"How many are there? I need to know so I can figure out which monster to summon." Yunae looked at the others.

"I see five." Searen counted the beasts as he sharpened his lance on a rock.

"Ok, then maybe a mini draco?" she whispered.

"What are those?" Searen asked stopping the sharpening of his lance.

"A smaller version of a dragon, the bigger the monster, the more stress on my magical powers." Yunae said darkly.

"'Stress?'" Rouse repeated in question.

"All spellcasters have a limit, mine is how many of a certain spell I can cast a day." Auros answered.

"Yeah, and I get weaker the bigger the monster I summon." Yunae polished her staff.

"You can put down the wall, let's prepare for attack." Rowan took the axe off of the holder on her back.

Yunae readied her staff. "I summon mini draco!" She told the staff quietly. "This monster will die when it takes too much damage." She said in a whisper over her shoulder to her companions.

"We each go for one, there's six of us, five of them." Salem's eyes darted from each troll.

"Got it." the group said all at once. They rushed onto the field weapons flying. Rouse quickly killed one wielding a bow. Searen threw his lance at one troll missing, and getting it stuck in the ground, he pulled it out and stabbed one with a sword, in the head.

"Ew, troll brains, and blood." Searen began to wipe the lance on a tree. Yunae commanded the draco to kill a bow carrier, bad choice because the bow troll shot the poor draco in the heart killing it instantly, the spirit of the draco vanished and there was no blood.

"What was that?" Rouse looked at Yunae.

"Well, my summons are just spirits of the dead monsters, they act as if they're alive, but when the get hurt there is no blood and when they die, they just fade back to where they were before I summoned them. I can only summon one monster at a time." She cleared up the confusion.

"I'll get him." Rouse swiftly shot the bow carrier in the neck. Auros was messing around with a sword holder, dodging all the attacks and laughing.

"Pathetic," He pulled out two daggers and shot the troll square in the eyes. attacking madly, the troll swung his sword hitting Auros in the arm. "Gah!" He fell to the ground in pain.

"Don't worry, I got your back." Rowan disregarded her troll, the leader, and sliced the sword wielder's head off.

"Auros!" Salem yelled as the leader troll wielding a log believe it or not, swung it and smacked Salem right in the head. "Going down." he said quietly. Yunae ran up and dragged Salem out of the wake of the leader.

"I'll distract him." Rowan sped past them and teased the leader, Rouse and Searen following close behind.

"Yunae, help Auros, he's got a huge gash and burn, I'll be fine for now." Salem croaked. She nodded and took off toward Auros. She healed Auros's wound and helped him get up.

"Come on, you help the others distract the leader, I'll see if I can help Salem." Yunae said quickly as Auros turned his hat the right way and full of determination, went and over to surprise the leader with a shower of daggers.

"Everyone step back, I've prepared a spell that can kill this thing and anything in range, get behind a tree!" Auros's book began to float on its own pages turning, and landing on the red-rimmed fire pages. A giant fireball began to form, he sent it directly in front of the troll leader. Sending out a giant wave of fire, it crisped the troll, and part of Auros. Rowan, Searen and Rouse peered out from behind the safety of the fire-proof trees. Auros, getting his arm burnt, fell over in pain again. "At least I got him too." Auros grunted in pain.

Yunae sighed and casted a heal spell on him so he'd stop complaining, getting up he joined the other three. Everyone walked over the Yunae, still trying to help Salem. "Can you help him?" Searen asked.

"Of course I can, just give me some space and I can heal him." she waved her hands around signaling everyone to back up.

"Heal spell!" she shouted, nothing happened. "Heal spell?" she tried again, still, nothing happened.

"Do you happen to be out of spells?" Auros asked.

"I don't run out of heal spells." she answered worriedly.

"Is he... dead?" Searen gulped as tears began to form in his eyes.


	11. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

"Salem…" Rouse whispered as tears began to roll down her face. Everyone began to tear up as well.

Wake up, my son… you must live… His sword blinked beside him.

Get up Salem, you're my living legacy. The sword flashed white instead of blue quickly. Salem coughed loudly and sat up.

"Dude! Don't scare me like that!" Searen picked him up and squeezed him so hard Salem began to turn blue.

"C-Can't breathe! Put me down!" Salem flailed around kicking at the air.

"Right, sorry." Searen set Salem down on his feet and blushed embarrassed that he showed how much of a softie he can be.

"Where am I? Am I dead?" Salem pinched himself.

"Didn't that hurt you?" Yunae looked at him confused.

"N-no, actually it didn't." He pinched himself again. "What's happening?"

Do not worry my boy, I have given you an invincible spell, now nothing can hurt you, but it only works during the day, so be mindful. The sword responded.

"So you did this? Why? How-"

Shhh… Let me explain, you did indeed die when the leader troll hit you, but when I died and turned into a spirit in your sword, I gained the ability to grant any kind of spell I wanted on you and only you. So I cast an invincible spell on you which also revived you, it's permanent for the rest of your journey. Salem explained to the group about this spell, and told Auros why his sword was blinking.

"Let's keep going, we need to find that fire crystal." Searen broke the silence.

"Yeah let's go." Rowan turned around and walked toward the charred trees of the Forest of Flames, everyone following behind her.


End file.
